In memory of the WWI 'Transports'

IN last week's article I referred to an unexpected long day trip to Dieppe a week or two before the Second World War burst upon us.

The cheap day trip was twelve shillings and sixpence as I recollect, but the purser who offered passage mentioned third class at one pound, but to see him after the ship had cleared the breakwater and so you do as you are told!

But it was the First World War which involved Newhaven so much. The town was quite compact compared with today.

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It was suddenly sealed, for the government had instructed the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway, as it was then, to extend the dock sides, erect many buildings and expect to have to cater for vast amounts of supplies to be transported across the channel to anywhere between Cherbourg and Dunkirk. In other words, supplies to the Western Front.

About 40 vessels were engaged in this. They were known as 'tTransports'. The museum has the names of 33 of these; the smaller ones were much used for taking the fodder across for an Army much reliant on horse power and at that time still using cavalry.

During that war, 8,330 sailings were made by these transports and 11 with their crews were lost. One of these was the Maine which had been a French cargo ship on our service.

There used to be a plaque near the Roman Catholic Church in Fort Road commemorating this loss and the crew members who would have worshipped there when their vessel was in port.

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Between August 14, 1914 and November 11, 1918, 5,554,600 tons of supplies were handled here '“ guns, vehicles (no drive on and off then), ammunition and stores of all kinds.

At times there were 2,700 civilian labourers. Some days transports were moored three abreast at the East Quay, single up the Railway Quay and the North Quay.

Aerial photos of these conditions are most interesting, no doubt shot by crews from the East Beach seaplane base or an airship from Polegate, all frequently on U-boat search patrol.

Although supplies to the front was the main purpose, some troops did pass through either way, which explains the transit camp set up in Railway Road. This remained after peace was declared and some buildings formed the basis for Felix Macauley's fountain pen factory, being replaced by the Valentine and finally Parker Pen factories.

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Returning to the problems of a sealed town, each adult had a form of passport, complete with photo. With one of these you would pass a sentry, without you wouldn't, but I suppose there was some allowance for identification until the booklet could be produced.

This would also apply to the outside workers who came into town. If from Brighton, the train was known as the Lousy Lou, with no doubt good reason for the choice of name.

Newhaven town surveyor Charles T Hooper designed the transport and the town memorials. That for the transports was unveiled on Friday, August 13, 1920. On top of the plinth was positioned a ship's riding light, meaning 'at anchor', signifying 'at peace' or 'at rest'. A moving thought.

On the rear is stated 'This memorial is erected to the memory of the Captains, Officers and Seamen of HM Transports, who lost their lives whilst sailing from this Port during the Great War 1914 to 1918' (and below) 'And also in commemoration of the valuable services rendered by the Mercantile Marine of the United Kingdom in the War.

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A generous donation was made for the restoration of this memorial when it was positioned on the green.

PETER BAILEY

Peter Bailey is curator of the Newhaven Local and Maritime Museum based in its own fascinating premises in the grounds of Paradise Park in Avis Road, Newhaven. Winter opening hours are 2-5pm Saturdays and Sundays or by arrangement. Admission 1 (accompanied children free). Contact the curator on 01273 514760. Log on to the website at www.newhavenmuseum.co.uk

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